The Cheetahs will crash out of Super Rugby against the Blues in Bloemfontein. And the Bulls will top the table after the Chiefs got smashed in Christchurch.

The Cheetahs have a bye in the last weekend so are guaranteed a further four league points to take them to 50 league points. Victory against the Blues would end the Blues prospects of a play-off and also end those of the Waratahs, the Sharks and the Stormers.

But I don’t think the Cheetahs are going to win.

They’ve defied my view most of the season before being humbled in Cape Town a week ago.

I expect more heartbreak for the hosts in Bloemfontein and bet on the Blues to win it by five points.

The Bulls will continue their South African conference dominance but I don’t think they’ll get the bonus point against the Sharks. I still expect them to win comfortably by 10 points while in Port Elizabeth I’m giving it to the Stormers by 20-plus points.

The Crusaders hammered the Chiefs 43-15 and qualified for the play-offs.

The Chiefs, previously the table toppers, will now relinquish the lead to the Bulls, who will beat the Sharks in Pretoria and would then just have to see off the Stormers in Cape Town to finish first and host a semi-final and a final.